TV stars to wage War on Staten Island drug crisis in St. George

Stars of Netflix's 'House of Cards,' NBC's 'Law & Order' and 'The Blacklist,' and CBS's 'The Good Wife,' to drop just a few high-profile credits, join forces to fight addiction on Staten Island. Keep scrolling for details about this weekend's Theater of War production.

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

WHAT IS THEATER OF WAR?

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — You talkin' to me? You talkin' to ME?! As a matter of fact, they are.

Theater of War Productions uses theater — and internationally acclaimed actors — as an entry-point to crucial discussions about public health issues: From PTSD, end-of-life-care and domestic violence to mental health and, now, the Staten Island addiction crisis.

The troupe visits the borough's North Shore from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, for a reading of a classic play about opioid addiction: Eugene O'Neill's seminal "Long Day's Journey Into Night." (What? You were expecting "Taxi Driver"? Work with me here.)

The performance runs from 6-8 p.m. New York Public Library's St George Library Center at 5 Central Ave. The event is free and open to the general public. Seating is limited, however, so reserve seats at AppStGeorge.eventbrite.com

Check out clips from a previous performances at the end of this slideshow. Meanwhile, here are the deets:

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Frances McDormand, David Strathairn perform during a previous Theater of War event

WHAT IS THE 'ADDICTION PERFORMANCE PROJECT'?

The Addiction Performance Projectusesa dramatic reading of Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey into Night" to spur audience discussion about substance abuse and the mortal/emotional challenges faced by those whose lives have been ravaged by addiction, including families and caregivers.

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Rob Bailey | bailey@siadvance.com

WHO IS LEADING ST. GEORGE'S 'JOURNEY'?

Theater of War has toured widely throughout the United States — featuring award-winning actors such as Blythe Danner, Dianne Weist, Debra Winger, Frances McDormand, Arliss Howard, David Straitharn and Paul Giamatti.

The project was initially developed as a training tool for health care professionalsin 2011, with the partnership and support of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and medical consultation from Elizabeth Gaufberg, MD, Harvard Medical School.

The company is now launching the project to the general public with an event in Staten Island, which in 2016 had the highest incidences of overdoses across all five boroughs.